Omiete Blessing
Hundreds of members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress Congress (APC) in Rivers state.
The defected members were led by for candidates of SDP for the Rivers State House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections in the state.
The defected candidates include, Mgbo-Awaji Augustus, who contested under the platform of SDP to represent Andoni in the Assembly, Chikweru Orlu, immediate candidate of SDP for Obio/Akpor Constituency II and Bright Amadi, contested for Obio/Akpor Constituency I under the SDP platform.
Speaking during defection programme at the state party secretariat, Port Harcourt, the former candidate of SDP for Andoni Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Augustus, said he defected to the party alongside seven ward chairmen from his LGA.
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Augustus who was a former secretary of Andoni LGA, said he returned back to APC to support the Tony Okocha’s led leadership of the party achieve success in subsequent elections in the state, adding that he is one of the founding members of the party in the state before he left to pursue his goal in SDP.
Also speaking, Chikweru Orlu, immediate candidate of SDP in the just concluded elections for Obio/Akpor Constituency II, said he returned to APC to support in rebuilding a robust party that will begin to win election in the state.
“I am sure of coming with 10 wards chairmen of the SDP to join APC where I belong. I have been in the party as one of the founding member of APC in Rivers state. I am back to my family and to see how we can move the state APC.
“Overtime, APC has just been in Rivers state like a social party but I am sure with the new CTC chairman and his team, some of us who have come to join them will make a better APC in Rivers state so that we can be winning election and not only burial and social clubs”.
Meanwhile, Ta former Caretaker Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Lawrence Chuku has pledged support to the present leadership Caretaker Committee of APC in the state.
Chuku who alongside his supporters and other leaders of the party in Obio/Akpor were at the APC secretariat yesterday, said they are also committed to APC under the national leadership of the party and President Bola Tinubu.
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He called on all aggrieved members of the party to come together and rebuild the party structure for victory at all coming elections in the state.
To all APC members, Chuku said, “today Okocha and his team has been appointed by the national leadership to bring the party members together. Forget about the offense. There can’t be two APC in Rivers State, only one structure that is recognized by the national in Rivers. There is no human being that is perfect, the party chairman cannot be expected to be perfect, all we need is to build our party”.
Responding to the defectors and party members who returned from other faction, Okocha noted the benefits of unity in the party. He urged all aggrieved members of APC in Rivers to come back and join to rebuild the party structure as soon as possible.
Assuring that his leadership will deliver APC in the state, Okocha said at the expiration of the current local government council, the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara must conduct election, stressing that there will be no room for caretaker committee for the councils.
“We are going to test our strength this year. We have started drumming it to the governor that the lifespan of the present LGA will expire very soon and he must conduct a fresh election. I will enjoin us to remain focused. This party must be stronger, must be formidable”.
